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Feel her breath as the wind blows, hear her song as the dove sings , touch her sacred plants and feel her life giving energy. She is the predator and the prey, she is everything and nothing, she is the mundane and the heavenly body, she is the universal mother, sun and moon, good and evil. She is the sacred Oak tree and the ground in which it grows, she is all loving. Embrace her love and she will show herself to you. She will come to your dreams and remind you of her ancient stories. Worship her, call to her, pray to her. She is great Mother to us all. She is Goddess. )O(

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Women of History, Artemisia of Caria

Statue of Artemisia in Turkey

Today is the last day of Women's History month and to honor that I
wanted to write a post about a powerful female figure from history,
Queen Artemisia of Caria.

Artemisia was Queen of Halicarnassus and was a
known warrior and ally to King Xerxes of Persia. Born sometime around
the 5th century BCE, Artemisia was daughter to Lygdamis, King of
Halicarnassus and her mother is unknown but said to have been of Cretan
descent.Artemisia commanded her own naval fleet at the Battle of Salamis in 480
BCE.

It is said that Xerxes asked all of his naval commanders if he
should attack the Greeks in a naval war. All but Artemisia agreed that
he should attack. Artemisia did not agree and advised Xerxes not to
attack the Greeks. According to Herodotus, Xerxes appreciated her advice
and admired her for her opinion although he decided against it and
attacked the Greeks anyway.Xerxes was defeated at the Battle of Salamis and feeling disheartened at
his loss he once again seeks the advice of Artemisia.

Which of course
if he had taken her advice initially things might have turned out
differently. She advises him to return home and abandon his campaign.
This time he relents, takes her advice and returns home.Artemisia was renowned for her cunning tactics and craftiness on the
battlefield.

She was known to fly the enemy's flag on her ship to
confuse them into thinking that her ship was on their side. Most of
Artemisia's story comes to us from Herodotus although still not much is
known about her life. We do know that she did not die in battle, although
there are a few different stories about her death. One in particular say that she flung herself off a cliff into the sea because of a broken heart. This seems unlikely for a conquering warrior woman but alas this is one of the stories. Artemisia was known as a warrior, conqueror and commander.

One of the many inspiring warrior women from history.Do you have a warrior woman from history that inspires you?

I am the beauty of the Earth, the green of growing things. I am the white Moon whose light is full among the stars and soft upon the Earth. From Me all things are born, to Me all things, in their seasons return. Let My worship be in your hearts, for all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.